The Saint John's Bible was commissioned in 1998 by Saint John's Abbey and University in the USA. It is the first illuminated Bible to be commissioned by a Benedictine abbey in nearly 500 years.
Visit the Saint John's Bible website.
In 2012, ACU acquired a Heritage Edition of The Saint John’s Bible – a limited edition museum-quality reproduction, printed on custom-made cloth paper, featuring metallic illuminations, and bound in hand-embossed leather. Like the original, the Heritage Edition is in seven volumes and each measures two feet tall by three feet wide when open.
The acquisition of the Heritage Edition was largely due to the inspired decision and funding from Fr Anthony Casamento, ACU’s Director of Catholic Identity and Mission and the support of the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Greg Craven.
Fr Eric Hollas, OSB, a Benedictine monk and priest from Saint John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota, officially handed over the University’s set of books during a visit to the North Sydney Campus.
The creation process
Who was responsible?
The Saint John's Bible is a collaboration between theologians headquartered in Minnesota, U.S.A., and a team of 20 artists under the direction of Donald Jackson, operating from his scriptorium, in Monmouth, Wales. Jackson, a renowned British calligrapher, is theofficial scribe and calligrapher to the Crown Office of the United Kingdom. The project fulfilled Jackson's childhood dream of creating a hand-written, illuminated bible.
The Creation Process
The pages of the original edition of The Saint John's Bible are made from calfskin or vellum, while artists used hand-cut quills from the feathers of geese, turkeys, and swans to inscribe the text. Ink for the text is derived from Chinese ink sticks which are ground to a powder and combined with water. The vivid colours used to illustrate teh Bible are attained through crushing minerals and stones, which are then mixed with egg yolk and water to create paints. Illumination of the Bible is achieved through the application of gold leaf.
To find more about the materials and processes used in the production of the bible, please visit The Saint John's Bible website
The project was commissioned by Saint John's Abbey and University in 1998 and completed in 2011. The Bible is comprised of seven volumes which were finished at various stages.
Hear the reasons and the processes for the creation of the bible.
Books and videos
The Art of the Saint John's Bible by ISBN: 9780814690628Publication Date: 2007The Saint John's Bible provides an opportunity for people to experience the Scriptures in a new - but at the same time ancient - way. Here are illuminations that bring the words of the Bible alive for the contemporary world. Some of the world's top calligraphers invite us into a rich and varied creation. The illuminations draw on and update Eastern iconographic and Western sacred art traditions, resulting in one of the most important sacred art achievements of our time.
Illuminating the Word by ISBN: 0814690505Publication Date: 20052006 Catholic Press Association Award Winner! In this companion volume to The Saint John's Bible,Christopher Calderhead takes us on a behind-the-scenes tour of this extraordinary project. Based on hundreds of hours of interviews, this book tells the story of the makers of the Bible and the community at Saint John's Abbey and University.
Illuminating Justice by ISBN: 0814644554Publication Date: 2018Illuminating Justice explores the call to social ethics in The Saint John's Bible. Situating his close analysis of The Saint John's Bible's illuminations in the context of contemporary biblical exegesis and Catholic teaching, Homrighausen shows how this project stimulates the ethical imagination of its readers and viewers on matters of justice for women, care for creation, and dialogue between Jews and Christians.
The Illuminator and a Bible for the 21st Century by ISBN: 9780814690598Publication Date: 2005A BBC documentary on the making of The Saint John's bible featuring calligrapher Donald Jackson and a team of artists and the ancient techniques they employed to create this hand-written and illuminated work.
Word and image: The Hermeneutics of The Saint John's Bible by ISBN: 0814691978Publication Date: 2013The principles, intentions and aims of The Saint John's Bible are explored.
See the heritage edition
The seven volumes are distributed across the University. Each volume is housed in a custom-made cabinet. Current locations are:
- Pentateuch (v.1) - North Sydney Campus Library
- Historical Books (v.2) – Strathfield Campus Library
- Wisdom Books (v.3) – Blacktown Campus Library
- Psalms (v.4) – Ballarat Chapel
- Prophets (v.5) – Melbourne Chapel
- Gospels and Acts (v.6) – Canberra Campus Library
- Letters and Revelations (v.7) – Brisbane Campus Library
All volumes can be seen within their display cabinets. However, if you would like to arrange an appointment to view a volume in more detail, please contact us.
You can also explore each book online.